Upcoming events

    • 8 Sep 2026
    • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • https://apragp.org/events
    Register

    Artificial Intelligence is transforming prospect development but how can professionals use it safely and effectively?

    Join us for a practical webinar exploring today’s leading AI tools, including Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, and what they can realistically accomplish in a prospect development environment.

    Key takeaways:

    • Overview of the current AI landscape
    • Effective prompting strategies
    • Real-world prospect development use cases
    • Workflows, guardrails, and risk considerations
    • AI-assisted tools and processes that streamline research and analysis

    Designed for prospect development professionals, this session will help you move beyond uncertainty and begin using AI in ways that are responsible, strategic, and sustainable.

    Thor Gesteland serves as the Assistant Director of Prospect Research at the University of South Dakota Foundation, where he has spent the past eighteen years supporting fundraising strategies through in-depth research, data analysis, and systems management. Prior to joining the USD Foundation, he worked for nearly three years as Assistant Director of Development with AD Players in Houston, Texas, where he co-managed the Raiser’s Edge database. With over twenty years’ experience across Raiser's Edge, ResearchPoint, Access, Live Alumni, and other industry tools, Thor specializes in transforming complex data into actionable insights for development officers and leadership. Recently, he has focused on how AI can be used safely and effectively within prospect development. Thor’s work blends technical fluency with a practical understanding of how research supports fundraising outcomes.

Past events

14 Jul 2026 Human Work Wins: Finding Your Value in the AI Era
8 Jun 2026 Apra Midwest 2026 Conference
12 May 2026 Taming the Fundraiser: A Prospect Manager’s Survival Guide
14 Apr 2026 Tips & Tricks from the Excel Ninja
10 Mar 2026 Virtual Office Hours: Chaos to Clarity - Elevating Integrity through Automation
10 Feb 2026 Virtual Book Tour: Prospect Management: The Essential Guide by Ruthie Giles
13 Jan 2026 Revolutionize Your Database - Fix Messy Data and Build a Strong Foundation
11 Nov 2025 Giving Thanks for Documentation! Policy, Procedures and Processes
14 Oct 2025 Excel Sorcery - Top 5 Excel formulas to utilize in Prospect Research/Management
9 Sep 2025 Virtual Office Hours: APRA Prospect Development 2025 Recap - Explore New Depths Together
12 Aug 2025 Virtual Office Hours: From Ancestors to Assets - Unearthing Connections Through Genealogy and Prospect Research
8 Jul 2025 Virtual Office Hours: Beyond the List - Strategic Portfolio Management that Works
10 Jun 2025 Virtual Office Hours: LexisNexis
13 May 2025 Virtual Office Hours: What We Learned -- 2025 APRA Great Plains Conference Recap + Reflection
25 Apr 2025 2025 Apra Great Plains Conference Happy Hour
25 Apr 2025 2025 Apra Great Plains Conference
8 Apr 2025 Virtual Office Hours: The Daily Life of a Prospect Researcher
11 Mar 2025 APRA Great Plains - Virtual Office Hours: Portfolio Management and Optimization
19 Sep 2024 Making SEC Filings Research Fun Again!
29 Jun 2024 2024 Apra Midwest Conference
11 Apr 2024 The Marathon and the Sprint: Managing Campaigns with Data Driven Strategy
24 Aug 2023 Understanding Millennial donors: The next wave of great philanthropists
7 Jun 2023 Prospect Management Setup and Tracking for Your Database
28 Apr 2023 2023 Apra-Great Plains Annual Conference
21 Sep 2022 Driving Corporate Engagement with Stacey Barnes
28 Jul 2022 Apra PD - Midwest Member Lunch
21 Apr 2022 Apra Midwest Spring 2022 Conference
24 Feb 2022 Apra MN Buzz Session: Partnering Effectively With Gift Officers
17 Dec 2021 Lunch & Learn: Interns & Student Workers
19 Nov 2021 Lunch & Learn: Data Security & Prospect Research
8 Nov 2021 Apra MD Conference: All Hands on Deck
4 Nov 2021 Apra Great Plains November Happy Hour
15 Oct 2021 Lunch & Learn: Community Foundations
14 Oct 2021 Apra MD Webinar: How to become a CFRE
30 Sep 2021 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Regina Alhassan
15 Sep 2021 Apra MD Webinar: The Role of Psychology
13 Sep 2021 Apra Midwest 2021 Fall Conference
17 Aug 2021 Apra MD Webinar: Data Slayers
5 Aug 2021 Apra Great Plains August Happy Hour
4 Aug 2021 Midwest Coffee Chats in August
16 Jul 2021 Lunch & Learn: Cryptocurrency
14 Jul 2021 Apra VA Webinar: Demystifying Macros
13 Jul 2021 Apra MD Webinar: Unleash your Insights
13 Jul 2021 July Book Club Hosted by Apra PA
7 Jul 2021 Midwest Coffee Chats in July
28 Jun 2021 5 Senses for Success with Colleagues & Clients
24 Jun 2021 June Book Club - Hosted by Apra Mo/Kan
23 Jun 2021 Apra PA Virtual Roundtable: Higher Education
18 Jun 2021 Lunch & Learn: Returning to the Office
9 Jun 2021 Your Next Best Donor is Already in Your Database
8 Jun 2021 Apra PA Webinar: Due Diligence and You
2 Jun 2021 Apra PA Virtual Roundtable: Tessitura
2 Jun 2021 Midwest Coffee Chats in June
21 May 2021 Lunch & Learn: Networking & Job Hunting
18 May 2021 Apra Midwest hosts Christy Cates and Katrina Onderdonk from Caltech
12 May 2021 Apra PA Virtual Roundtable: Museums
7 May 2021 Panel Discussion: What makes a Good Prospect?
6 May 2021 Apra Great Plains May Happy Hour
5 May 2021 Midwest Coffee Chats in May
21 Apr 2021 Apra PA Virtual Roundtable: International Research
21 Apr 2021 APRA Midwest and iWave Virtual Day of Learning
16 Apr 2021 Lunch & Learn: Flummoxed by Farmland?
7 Apr 2021 Midwest Coffee Chats in April
31 Mar 2021 Apra PA Virtual Roundtable: K-12 Schools
24 Mar 2021 Webinar: Finding Your Ancestors at the Library & Research Center
23 Mar 2021 Introduction to Prospect Research
19 Mar 2021 Lunch & Learn: Personal Development IS Professional Development
12 Mar 2021 This or That? A University of Colorado Case Study
4 Mar 2021 iWave Webinar: 2021 Trends in Fundraising: What Does the Data Say and What Does It Mean for Fundraisers?
3 Mar 2021 Midwest Coffee Chats in March
25 Feb 2021 iWave Webinar: Lessons Learned from Capital Campaign Experts
4 Feb 2021 Apra Great Plains February Happy Hour
3 Feb 2021 Midwest Coffee Chats in February
13 Nov 2020 Fall Series 3: Start Your Engines
6 Nov 2020 Fall Series 2: Bring Your Map
30 Oct 2020 Fall Series 1: Pack Your Bags
1 Oct 2020 Happy Hour!
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